The present invention relates generally to the field of crossing gates and more particularly to the field of railroad crossing gates.
Known to the art are solid, one piece gates to prevent traffic from crossing a certain area. For example, railroad crossing gates are lowered when a train is approaching to prevent traffic from crossing the railroad tracks. In another example, a gate may be used to prevent vehicles from entering a parking lot unless the customer pays a fee.
Typically, a motor is used to raise and lower a gate to stop traffic and to allow traffic to pass. However, a large motor may not be feasible for raising and lowering gates due to cost and physical size limitations. Thus, smaller motors are typically utilized with solid, light-weight gates that may be resistant to outdoor elements. For example, a number of gates are made of a solid piece of lumber, however fiberglass and aluminum have also been utilized. Unfortunately, gates made out of lumber, fiberglass, and aluminum known to the art are susceptible to damage if they come into contact with a vehicle.
Installing and maintaining a gate which is made of one solid member presents a number of problems. First of all, some gates need to be very long. For example, present highway railroad crossing gates may be as long as forty feet. Since different crossings require a different lengths of gates, a variety of sizes must be kept on hand to replace damaged gates. It may be costly to keep different sizes of gates. Additionally, it may present a storage problem due to the length of the gates. Special carriers must be installed on maintenance vehicles in order to transport gates. In order to accommodate this difficulty, some gates have been produced with two pieces of tube that telescope one inside the other. This may provide some flexibility in gate length, but results in added weight and makes it difficult to install, especially with just one maintenance person.
Damage caused when vehicles strike the gates is another problem with gates known to the art. Vehicles often strike crossing gates, usually unintentionally. Another example may involve crossing arms that are sheared off when they come down between the cab and the trailer of semi trucks. Damage to the gates costs railroad companies millions of dollars in material costs and labor costs. Also, when the gates are non-functional, the intersections become extremely dangerous for the public. For example, if a railroad crossing gate is not functional, a motorist may be unaware that a train is approaching a railroad crossing and may proceed through the intersection and subject themselves to a risk of an accident which could be prevented if the crossing gate is operational.
Some existing gates have been designed with shear pins so that the whole gate falls off when struck. While the repair person will still have to remount the crossing arm, sometimes it will not be damaged beyond use. However, the crossing arms may be run over and broken by vehicles and trains.
Consequently, it would be advantageous to provide a gate which is light-weight, capable of length adjustment, may be installed easily by a single maintenance person, and may not be damaged when vehicles inadvertently strike the gate.
Accordingly, the present invention is directed to a gate in which its length may be adjusted and one which may not be completely damaged if struck by a vehicle. Additionally, the present invention is directed to a gate which has the capability of being installed by a single maintenance person. The flexible gate of the present invention comprises a plurality of segments which may be connected by a coupling between the segments. The flexible gate may flex when acted on by a force and return to a normal straight position when the force is no longer present.
Segments may be added or removed to a gate in order to increase the length of the gate or decrease the length of the gate. Since the segments are fairly short, the segments may be carried and stored easily, and allow for easy installation or repair by a single maintenance person.